The hunky, 39-year-old HIV-positive fashion designer was a fan favorite on last season's "Project Runway" when he had to leave the Bravo Network show early to seek medical treatment for a serious staph infection. It was a double-hanky, tear-jerker of an episode.

While his runway dreams were cut short, Mackenroth has fully recovered and is living up his 15 minutes of fame.

Mackenroth was in New Orleans last week to give the keynote address to the Louisiana Department of Public Health's orientation program for HIV/AIDS prevention workers. We met up with him at a Warehouse District hotel to chat about life on and off the "Runway."

Q: Viewers were worried about you when you left the show. Tell us how you're doing now.

A: I went to the hospital, and five days later I was fine. Since then, no problems, and it wasn't even HIV related.

Q: Why did you decide to share your HIV status on the show?
A:I accept myself as gay. I try not to hold any shame about being HIV positive, and I've always been open about it.

Q: What are you doing now?
A: I'm developing a menswear line; I'm designing a line of T-shirts for my Web site, and there's been crazy stuff. I was in a video for a band called Telling on Trixie .¤.¤. and I'm working on a TV show. But one of the coolest things I've gotten to do was make a gown for ("The Bold and the Beautiful" co-star) Heather Tom to wear to the Daytime Emmy Awards. It was gorgeous, and we auctioned it for Clothes off Our Back (a celebrity clothing auction) with the money going to charity.

Q: You had a cameo in the "Sex and the City" movie. Did you get that role after meeting Sarah Jessica Parker on Project Runway?
A: No, on the show, it's all very structured. It's not like you get to sit down with her and chat. For the movie, I got a call from a casting person. They were looking for a gay guy with a good body.

Q:Tell us about the scene.
A: The four girls are walking down the street, and I pass in front of them. Kim Cattrall checks out my butt. Then I walk up and kiss my on-screen boyfriend. Kim says, "Of course," or something like that, and it's a big laugh. The guy was straight, and I think he was a little nervous at first. His girlfriend was right off set. She was laughing hysterically after every take.

Q:Do you keep in touch with the other "Project Runway" designers?
A: I do with a lot of them. I'm really good friends with Kevin. And I just went to a party at Christian's house last week. He's crazy busy. And there's Victorya Hong. She's a sweet, sweet person. I think she got kind of shafted in the editing.

Q:Tim Gunn seems like a genuinely nice guy. Is he as supportive to the designers off the air as he is on?

A: That whole persona you see is real. He doesn't break character; that's him.... With all the regulars on the show -- the judges and Tim -- when we're filming, it's very formal. But then afterwards, they're all amazingly nice. All of the judgment goes away.

Q: The new season just started. Any favorites?
A: I think Kenley has done some cute stuff. And I like Terri; she kind of looks like Donna Summer, and her first two outfits were really great. In general, I don't think they're as talented as prior seasons, but there is some good stuff going on.